no need to sigh and wish it was like the good old days, the brilliant times are now... dance music has never been better in many ways... amazing technology making better tunes and providing unification... i think most people would say good parties are more underground these days but amazing music and amazing people are out there...

Obviously, I'll be up for an 808 live gig, but it probably requires money and record label backing for something to happen (and Circus certainly haven't been forthcoming with that sort of promotion/backing recently... )

Obviously, festivals (G:Percussion, etc) are a lot easier to perform at, considering that the promotion/tickets/etc are handled for a number of bands, rather than one (or more in the case of support acts)...

Dr.Walsh wrote:The old-school room was done by Vision Classix - set times, MC's, sound-system, smileys - I still haven't worked out why they have some of the smileys the wrong way... very strange...

So the sound system isn't Dry's then ?

And also, to be honest, I haven't heard of anyone else who didn't enjoy the night, as you can see from the photos the whole place was buzzing...

I enjoyed the night, but it could have been a lot lot better, as I say the MC's and sound system let it down for me.

be happy you saw an 808 reunion at the largest simultaneous dance party in the world!

If you'd have seen Andy and Darren DJ at Liverpool's Hazy Dayz, you'd have noted how much better it all was, and am 100% sure, you'd have said that that was as close as you'll ever get to it being back in 1990/1991.

maybe next year blue jammer can help put the party on? have you got a spare £5000, a load of dedicated friends, unlimited energy and at least three months of your life to spare? if you have, send me a message and we can talk about getting the set times and sound-systems perfect for the next party...

You have to learn to take criticism as well as praise, there's always room for improvement, and it's easy to pass the buck and blame other events down the line.

I have no inclination of organising any old skool events, I haven't the time for it as I'm busy writing a book and a new album, else I'd gladly offer to help out.

and also blue jammer, in terms of 'you're used to bigger and better things': Earthdance 2004 had over 150 cities in 48 countries taking part - almost certainly the biggest co-ordinated, simultaneous dance party the world has ever seen... if you've been to a bigger party than that I think we'd all like to hear about it!!!!!!!!

I don't care how many cities and countries earthdance took place in, I was in one, Manchester, and it could have been a lot better!

Missing the first half hour, having to wait outside until 10:30 when it opened, any ideas as to why that was.

Also, there were no CD's as promised to the first 100 people that went in, was this overlooked as well?

I don't remember hearing the promised tune at midnight either, unless it was played downstairs?

Bigger and better was the Park/Pickering Hacienda Re-union at Sankeys, that was a fantastic night, atmosphere spot on, sound system perfect, and more importanlty NO MC's.

Also, mentioned above, Hazy Dayz in Liverpool, where Andy and Darren Dj'd was far better, even though the club only holds 350, the hazy dayz night has been running for a year now, and never disappoints.

but am definately up for bigger and better next year, so maybe your people can call my people...?

I totally agree it could have been better, I agree there's always room for improvement in most things and your comments on the sound-system and MC's are, imho, correct. However, your review slated the night, you didn't mention anything in a positive light, and, imho, I think that was unfair and went beyond constructive criticism...

In response to some of your questions and comments:

We said back to '88 and I would say the atmosphere wasn't far off '88 at all, no-one mentioned anything about '90/'91... 'Prebuild' and 'Blue Monday' were from '88 and Gerald was on his own mission by '91 wasn't he?

The sound-system is Drys', what I meant was that the sound-system was being operated by Vision Classixs' crew

We started a few minutes late as, even though we were contracted for 10pm-3am Dry had booked an 'In The City' event until 9:40pm, so, in effect we were given 20 minutes to set up a large event...

As I say, there is no doubt that if The Blue Rooms had still been open we would have had a much bigger and better venue, more rooms, better sound-systems, had all day to set up, etc, etc

I agree with you about MC's, I'm not really into them either but the Vision Classix massive love them and there was no other room to put them as Silky is contemporary progressive house and breakbeat and we don't really 'do' MC's...

Technically the midnight gmt track should have been played in both rooms but that is another matter you need to take up with Vision Classix... it was played by dj Chika in the Silky room...

You should have been given a CD/tape/hat/vinyl or t-shirt if you were in the first 100 people in the queue... all the presents were on the door and every time I went to the door, the door girls were giving them out and over 100 presents were given out during the night... if you didn't get a gift, then email me your address and I can send it to you...

As I have said, Silky don't really do old-school events and it wasn't our room, so if you have constructive comments please send them to Vision Classix... they are always looking to improve events and welcome customer feedback... their web-site is visionclassix.co.uk

I hope you agree that it was a good event considering the circumstances... the chances of getting a venue at the last minute anywhere in Manchester during In The City weekend were remote to start with and, as I say, you are the only person I have heard of that didn't think it was an amazing party...

Also, I only saw you briefly during the night but when I did you were bouncing around the dancefloor like a child on a sugar high with a massive grin on your face...

Thanks for clearing up the sound system comments and the gifts - I was with 3 others in the queue and we were among the first 50 in, didn't see any CD's or owt, not fussed now like, but remember being asked later that night "ere, did you get a cd or owt mate? cos I didn't" - which prompted me to ask, as I thought they might have been overlooked.

Dr.Walsh wrote:However, your review slated the night, you didn't mention anything in a positive light, and, imho, I think that was unfair and went beyond constructive criticism...

We'll have to agree to disagree there, I'm a down to earth bloke, and just tell it how it is - sorry if that offends, but I'm honest.

blue jammer wrote:Miffed, yes. but thankfully they shut the f*** up for A Guy Called Gerald, who's set was a breath of fresh air to the night, and he played Phuture - Acid Tracks, and then mixed into it Phuture - We Are Phuture, amongst many, many other acid classics, in a full on 303 workout, with some live stuff too via a laptop.

As Gerald played the acid/harder edged stuff, I think he might have been better earlier on, as 808 were the peak of the night for most people, they might have been better suited in the last slot.

I'd say the bit in bold was very positive.

I hope you agree that it was a good event considering the circumstances... the chances of getting a venue at the last minute anywhere in Manchester during In The City weekend were remote to start with and, as I say, you are the only person I have heard of that didn't think it was an amazing party...

I'd say I'm quite hard to please, and with the few niggly things about this particular night, it's easy to not enjoy it as much as I hoped - of course I did enjoy the music, just a shame the "sound engineer" couldn't have sorted the sound out, as Gerald had a fiddle with it when he came on, and got it sounding as best as poss.

I appreciate last minute organising can be a pain in the arse, and as a paying punter, my expectations were high and with the Dry label firmly attached, I expected a quality sound system.

Also, I only saw you briefly during the night but when I did you were bouncing around the dancefloor like a child on a sugar high with a massive grin on your face...

so, it can't have been that bad can it?

The chemicals had kicked in by then and the mouth has no option other than to smile